Village Takes First Peek At Park

Design Includes Fountain, Flowers, Elevated Stage

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS — A new park proposed for downtown Arlington Heights will feature a fountain, flower beds and an elevated stage that could be used for performances.

The Arlington Heights Park District Board, which envisions the park as a way to break up the monotony of high rise buildings and retail businesses clustered downtown, got its first look at the design Saturday.

Village trustees and park district commissioners were generally enthusiastic about the plans for the 5,600-square-foot property on the southwest corner of Dunton Avenue and Campbell Street.

"Our group likes what it saw," said Park Board President Tom Drake. "Maybe just a few tweaks here and there."

The design was presented at the meeting by Daniel Danziel, a landscape architect and owner of Grayslake-based 3D Design Studio. The firm also developed the plans for the village's Gateway Park, located at the corner of Northwest Highway and Arlington Heights Road, which is expected to be completed in April.

The park will feature a 12-by-12-foot fountain with water that cascades over a wall of granite to create a "frothy water" effect.

The fountain, located at the back end of the park, was designed to be sort of a haven for visitors with the sounds of the water intended to drown out the noise from traffic.

According to Danziel, the wall fountains will "look nice all year-round even when the water is not running." When the water is running, Danziel suggested using colored lights to illuminate the walls in the evenings.

Unlike traditional parks with grass and benches, the downtown park will instead use interlocking bricks to encourage pedestrian traffic. Stone walls that will surround the flowers beds also will serve as seating. Park District and Village Board officials said the park could serve as a lunch spot for workers in the nearby buildings and a meeting place for residents.

Officials said they want the park to have a stage area and two small circular spaces to provide a venue for art fairs, exhibits and children's shows.

"It will be a people's park," said Village President Arlene Mulder. "It will be a natural gathering place that will give balance to all the new development."

The village bought the property in August for $420,000. Though 3D Design Studio would not reveal the cost of the design, the village expects to spend an additional $350,000 toward site development.

The majority of the project funds are from state grants and the remainder will come from the tax increment financing district and the Park District. The village and the Park District are still working out an agreement that would place responsibility for the park's maintenance with the district.

Before the plans are approved, village officials will first meet with the owners of two buildings, one of them being Riviera Restaurant, whose stucco wall is located behind the planned central fountain. The village is looking for permission to paint the walls so they'll contribute to the park's setting.

The village also needs approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals to change the land's zoning to public lands, after which the board and Park District are expected to vote on the design plans this summer.